Has Warren Gatland got his British and Irish Lions team right? Have your say in the comments box below

Warren Gatland let everybody know today that to win this series against Australia at the first attempt on Saturday, his players are going to have to be, not just lions, but dogs of war too.

It was Joe Royle’s FA Cup-winning Everton side who were first bestowed with that tag, not least because the side was made up of individuals who weren’t afraid to leave a foot in a tackle.

In Melbourne this weekend, it’s not feet the Lions will have to put where it hurts, it’s heads.

Which is why Gatland has opted to unleash Chopper Dan Lydiate on the Wallabies, a rugby-playing doberman if ever there was.

The Dragons man comes in on the blindside flank in place of Tom Croft, who couldn’t manage to bring his marauding stag-like tendencies to bear in Brisbane and made one or two defensive errors that stuck in Gatland’s mind.

The New Zealander made no secret of the fact that Lydiate is back to provide more physicality, and that the “do or die” nature of the encounter for Robbie Deans’ side, who trail 1-0, means he expects an out-and-out roll-your-sleeves-up battle at the Etihad Stadium.

Gatland stressed at his team announcement that he didn’t care a jot about the entertainment factor in this second Test, that ending the 80 minutes with the bigger points tally, even if it’s 3-0, is all that matters.

Which is why he’s rolling out the heavy artillery, and going back to the experience and proven Test class of not just former Six Nations player of the tournament Lydiate but someone like Tommy Bowe as well.

Tommy Bowe is back in the team

There were whispers the night before Gatland showed his hand that the Ulsterman was back in at the expense of Alex Cuthbert.

But until confirmation arrived it was difficult to take them as read because, after all, Cuthbert had scored a quite exquisite try early in the second half last weekend.

But sure enough, Bowe got the nod, and in truth there were few raised eye-brows when team manager Andy Irvine read his name out.

Gatland has made no secret of his admiration for the versatile former Ospreys man, and gave him all the time he needed to recover from the broken hand he suffered against Queensland Reds.

He spoke about how seemlessly Bowe had slotted back into training, how he instinctively knew where to go, what to do.

It is harsh on Cuthbert, no question. But winning Test series' requires harsh calls and Bowe’s extra class and game-intelligence makes it tough to begrudge him his spot.

Bowe will offer cleverness, attacking potency and is a player who makes very few errors. In short, the sort of player you want with you in the trenches when the stakes are at their highest.

Lydiate is cut from the same cloth. A warrior who will provide solidity, who will sacrifice himself for every cause that might get the Lions home.

So then what about Mike Phillips? Isn’t he the kind of up-and-at-em customer you’d want in a situation like Saturday, especially given that he’s been there, done it and got the tee-shirt?

Probably yes. But not, as Gatland explained, under the present circumstances.

Mike Phillips

The Kiwi did much to soften Phillips’ landing outside the squad circle by stressing that a knee injury had been plagueing him, and that it was felt the scrum-half could benefit from a few days off his feet.

Yet at the same time Gatland made it quite clear that the Bayonne man was “fit and available” and that his non-inclusion was a selection issue.

For me, it was the biggest surprise of all the changes made yesterday because Phillips’ form has been scratchy under Gatland for Wales in the past and yet his coach has always backed him.

Not this time though. Don’t think Phillips won’t be seriously stung either.

Gatland said he was important as someone who could potentially come in for the third Test in Sydney, but on the flip side Phillips could potentially never pull on a Lions jersey again.

The former Blues, Scarlets and Ospreys man is a player who splits opinion, and his detractors will argue that he was so outclassed by Will Genia at the Suncorp Stadium that somebody else deserves a chance.

But those who appreciate his talents more will point to his record of coming good in the very biggest matches and contend that’s exactly what he would have done in Melbourne.

You can see both sides. Only hindsight will tell us whether Gatland has made the correct call.

Today was no ordinary day in the annals of Warren Gatland team announcements. He patently chose to twist when his tendency in the past has always been to stick.

The head coach’s track record in standing by players with Wales is well known. But this isn’t Wales, it’s the Lions.

Gatland talked about strength in depth and utilising it. He does have riches at his disposal that he would not ordinarily have in his day job.

Ben Youngs is an accomplished international No.9 in his own right and Conor Murray, among the replacements, is in the same bracket.

It’s scarcely a gamble of reckless proportions then to give Phillips a rare feel of the shepherd’s crook.

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Elsewhere, there were no major surprises, but still a few talking points.

We knew that Geoff Parling was going to partner Alun Wyn Jones at lock because of Paul O’Connell’s fractured arm, and that Mako Vunipola would step in for calf injury victim Alex Corbisiero.

And the rest of the starting XV was predicted to remain unchanged.

But that didn’t mean No.8 Toby Faletau and second row Ian Evans weren’t desperately unlucky not be involved in the 23-man squad.

Faletau in particular could not have done any more to press his claims than he did in the 35-0 win against the Rebels on Tuesday.

Gatland’s assertion that players could make a difference to his thinking at that late stage must be ringing a bit hollow with the Dragons man, though he’s too nice a guy to be bitter.

Faletau’s exclusion only underlines that Gatland is a Jamie Heaslip man, and I think the only way the Welshman is going to figure in Test action is if the Lions clinch the series and there is more leeway in selection for a Sydney dead-rubber.

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Likewise Ian Evans, who will be galled that the replacements for Saturday’s game do not include a specialist second row, even if Croft can be a source of possession at the lineout.

Evans did his cause no harm against the Rebels. Only Gatland will know why a fellow who was so dominant in the Six Nations just hasn’t come through on this tour.

Why no Justin Tipuric? Well, he started with a bang on this trip but seems to have faded from view in the last few weeks even though he’s hardly been poor when he’s been on the field.

Yet again he’s nowhere to be seen for the serious stuff and, rightly or wrongly, you have to conclude Sam Warburton’s status has blocked his path.

The Ospreys man will be deeply frustrated. Understandably so too.

There were suggestions pre-tour that Warburton could be moved to No.6 to accommodate Tipuric, but frankly it doesn’t look like that’s ever been on the agenda. Gatland simply has too many other options on both sides to consider doing it.

Phl Vickery says it is ‘a travesty’ that Tipuric isn’t in the Test team. Only injuries, or a really poor showing by the Lions tomorrow, can open the door for a player so highly rated back in Wales.

Gatland will be hoping his selection is spot on enough to sew up proceedings in Melbourne.